I love making fish and chips on the porch with my little camping propane stove. Cooking outside is one of the great joys of summer. If you have a fryer, this recipe will be quite easy. If you're going the old-fashioned way, it can be a bit tricky.
Two of the most important things: the oil and the temperature. Use an oil with a high smoke point like peanut or sunflower. You also need to make sure your oil is always hot. Otherwise you'll end up with a soggy mess. So don't fry too much at a time, that brings down the temperature. Just remember, good oil and hot oil will make quality fried goodies.
This recipe could be done with a lot of different fishes. Experiment.
Sauce? Lemon-Dill Mayo
Serves 6-8
Propeller Batter
• 1 cup flour • 1 1/2 cups Propeller Extra Special Bitter • 1 tablespoon sunflower or grapeseed oil • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika • 1 teaspoon baking powder
In a large bowl, whisk all the ingredients together. Add more flour or beer, depending, to get the texture of thick paint. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Fish
• 4-5 haddock fillets, cut in 3-4 pieces • 1 cup flour
Heat your oil to about 350°F. Dredge the fish in the flour. Dust the flour from the fish, one by one dip them in the batter, and carefully drop the fish in the oil. Fry until the crust is golden brown. It should take about 5 minutes. Set them on a wire rack for the excess oil to drain. Season with salt.
Chips
• 3-4 large russet potatoes, cut into desired shape
Make sure your heat is at about 300°F. Blanch the fries in batches for about 5 minutes and drain on a wire rack or wire basket for half an hour. Once all blanched, you'll need to cook them a second time. Bring your oil up to 375°F and fry until golden brown, for about 2-3 minutes. Drain, salt and eat!